IIIT-Hyderabad and National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) signed an MOU to start an Agri Tech Startup Accelerator Program. IIIT-H is an autonomous research university that focuses on the core areas of information, technology, such as Computer Science, Electronics and Communications.

MANAGE is the national centre for Management of Agricultural Extension at Hyderabad, by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India as an autonomous Institute. MANAGE is the Indian response to challenges of agricultural extension in a rapidly growing and diverse agriculture sector. MANAGE offers its services in management training, consultancy, management education, research and information services.

The Agri Tech Startup Accelerator Program will identify, support and facilitate idea-stage enterprises using latest technologies and innovations to solve agriculture specific issues faced in India.

Given MANAGE’s national impact in nurturing and providing a platform for young entrepreneurs and start-up companies to grow in the agriculture sector, this collaboration with IIIT-Hyderabad is an added impetus for startups to further develop their agri ideas with the guidance from research scholars and professors at the IIIT-Hyderabad.

Speaking at the signing of the MOU, P.J. Narayanan, Director, IIIT-Hyderabad said, “IIIT-Hyderabad is looking forward to collaborating with MANAGE to improve India’s agricultural sector and take technology to the masses. As IIIT-Hyderabad believes strongly in applied research, this is a great opportunity for us to take our research from lab to land”.

Director General of MANAGE, Mrs V. Usha Rani said, “MANAGE is very happy to sign this MOU with IIIT-Hyderabad. IT knowledge has helped many sectors, be it health, industry or even the service sector but it hasn’t yet reached grass-root levels in the agricultural sector. There’s huge scope for this, considering agriculture is a complex life science, and technology can play a crucial role in it. By signing this MOU with IIIT-Hyderabad, we’re hoping to make a significant impact on farmers’ lives, entrepreneurs and agri-start-ups through the application of cutting-edge technologies that IIIT-Hyderabad is known for”.